Betrayal
by stelenabangel4eva
Summary: Summary: Buffy and Angel have been married for the past 6 years and have a 4 year old son named Connor. Buffy's older sister, Darla, and Buffy do not get along and have competed in everything—even over Angel. What happens when Buffy finds out about the betrayal between her husband, her best friend, and her sister? Will forgiveness be in the cards to save their marriage?
1. Secret

This is my piece from the Babies at the Border Compilation. This story will be continued.

Summary: Buffy and Angel have been married for the past 6 years and have a 4 year old son named Connor. Buffy's older sister, Darla, and Buffy do not get along and have competed in everything—even over Angel. What happens when Buffy finds out about the betrayal between her husband, her best friend, and her sister? Will forgiveness be in the cards to save their marriage?

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel characters. Those are of the genius mind of Joss Whedon. No copyright infringement intended.

Chapter I

"Angel, I don't know how much longer I can keep this a secret from her. She's my best friend," Faith said. She was tired of lying to her friend Buffy; Angel's pregnant wife.

"Faith, please! Don't say anything. Not yet! I will tell Buffy. Just give me some time," Angel pleaded.

"Time? Exactly how much time do you think you need!? I can't keep lying to her, Angel. She deserves better than that!"

"I know! I know. I promise I'll tell her. I just need a little bit of more time to get things situated. How do you explain to your wife that you slept with her sister and now said sister is pregnant with your child?"

"YOU DID WHAT!" Screamed out a voice that Angel and Faith knew all too well. Turning they both saw Buffy standing there in shock; her hand cradling her swollen belly.

"Angel, please tell me that I did not just hear that. You slept with Darla? Of all people, it had to be my sister." Buffy looked accusingly at Angel, in shock over the revelation she had just over heard.

"Buffy, we can talk about this. I can explain," Angel pleaded to his wife.

"Faith, you knew?" Buffy looked to her best friend asking with tears falling down her face. Her heart was breaking; Faith was responsible for aiding in covering up her husband's affair with her sister.

"Buffy, I'm sorry," Faith apologized.

"Faith, you're my best friend. How could you not tell me that Darla slept with my husband? You know what? I don't want to hear any excuses from you. Please just get out of my house."

"Buffy…..."

"GET OUT!"

Grabbing her jacket and with a sad look, Faith left the house knowing that she was partly the blame for her best friend's pain.

At the sound of the door closing, Buffy turned to her husband of the past 6 years. As she lifted her eyes to his face all she could see was the shame in his eyes.

"Angel, how could you do this to me? How could you betray me this way?"

"Buffy, this situation with Darla is not what you think," Angel tried to explain.

"Not what…Not what I think? Did you or did you not sleep with my sister?"

"Yes."

"Is there a possibility that you could be the father of Darla's baby?"

"Buffy?"

"Yes or no, Angel?"

"Yes."

"Then it is exactly what I think. Darla has been after you since we started dating and she finally got what she wanted. She finally got you!" Buffy told Angel heartbrokenly. "How could you do that to me, Angel? You, of all people, know what kind of relationship I have with her. Do you hate me that much? Did I do something wrong? Something so heinous that I needed to be punished this way?" Buffy questioned.

"No, Buffy, this wasn't your fault. It's mine. I got drunk and I thought she was you," Angel tried to explain.

"You thought she was me? Angel, we are two totally different people. The only thing that makes us look alike is our blonde hair. Tell me you weren't that gullible. Tell me you couldn't feel the difference."

"I know, Buffy. And I did…no didn't…aww hell Buff I was really drunk and it's no excuse; but I do love you. Please, please forgive me."

"Love me? Angel, this is not love. You don't cheat on someone you love. You don't…. you don't hurt someone you love."

"Buffy, I am so sorry. I never meant for this to happen. I never meant to hurt you."

"You never meant to hurt me? Angel, you slept with my sister and got her pregnant. How could that not hurt me?" Buffy asked with tears streaming down her face.

"Buffy, please just let me explain. Please," he pleaded.

"There are no explanations for this. You can not sweet talk your way out of this one. You're breaking my heart. I know my sister and I might not have the best relationship in the world, but I never thought that I could hate anybody this much. I hate the both of you for what you are putting me through. What about our son, Angel? Did you even think of Connor and what this would do to him? Ow! Ouch...!"

Buffy bent down clutching her swollen stomach where her unborn child had just sent a sharp kick. Fearing for her Angel rushed to help her.

"Buffy!?" Angel asked concerned.

"Don't touch me…! Please just leave. Just go."

Upon hearing the French door close behind Angel's retreating form, Buffy finally broke down and cried in the silence of what she now feared was her forever broken home.

The sound of tiny footsteps coming down the hallway, set Buffy to righting herself as she wiped her eyes and adjusted her clothes before her son made his appearance.

"Mommy, where's Daddy?" Connor asked rubbing his sleepy eyes.

"Daddy had to leave, sweetheart," Buffy replied walking to her son. "What are you doing out of bed?"

"I had a nightmare. Will Daddy be back?" Connor asked looking up to his mother.

"I don't know. We'll see," Buffy replies before leading her son back to his bedroom and putting him back to bed.

Closing his bedroom door, Buffy hears her cellphone ringing. Looking at the caller ID, she decides to ignore the call turning her phone off before retiring to bed; after making sure the house was locked down. Looking down at her claddagh wedding ring, Buffy cries herself to sleep. Things between them will never be the same again. Her heart's been broken. Her trust's been broken. Her family's been broken. And on top of that, she was due to give birth to her and Angel's second child in a few months.

Buffy woke up the next morning to the sound of excessive knocking on her front door. Dragging herself out of bed, Buffy checked on her son who had kicked the covers off and was currently sleeping like the dead, before making her way to the door. Opening the door, Buffy was shocked to see her sister march her pregnant self past her without so much as a good morning.

"What the hell are you doing here, Darla?"

Darla smirked at her sister before replying. "I believe we have much to discuss. After all, our daughters are gonna be sisters."

Buffy held open the door as she slapped her sister.

"Get the hell out of my house!"

"We have to talk, Buffy. After all, we are sharing a baby daddy," Darla antagonized.

"You have no shame, do you? After all these years, since we were teenagers, you've been after him. The one thing that you failed to realize is that he wanted me. He still wants me. He dated me. He married me. I carried his child. We were happy until Hurricane Darla had to come and destroy my life—yet again. Darla, I love you, you're my sister, but I will never forgive you and I will never trust you ever again."

Darla didn't say anything to her sister. She just walked out the house while Buffy stood there watching her walk away. Tears fell down her face as she mourned for her husband that she wasn't sure could be forgiven, for her best friend that kept the betrayal a secret, and for the sister that she loved but hopefully would never see again.

To be continued…


	2. Confrontation

**Hello! This chapter was written and donated to the Fandoms for Hope and Relief 2020 to benefit the victims of the bushfires in Australia. At last count, somewhere around $3,000 was raised for many worthy charities. Thank you to all who donated!**

**I do plan to continue this story. As it stands, I am currently working from home and will start posting regular updates within the next month. Please bare with me and stay safe!**

**I would like to thank my beta, Ellara2014, for the amazing work that she has done thus far and will continue to do throughout the remainder of this story.**

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel characters. Those are of the genius mind of Joss Whedon. No copyright infringement intended.

Chapter II

Opening my eyes to the bright sunlight, smoke wafting in the air, and Sex Pistols playing in the background, made me believe that I was in a living nightmare. I mean, who in the hell listens to the Sex Pistols? Seeing Spike however, brought me back to my new reality. My wife had kicked me out of our home.

"Rise and shine, Captain Forehead" Spike smiled at me.

"Spike, please not now" Angel replied getting up from the couch.

"Why not? You are the one that fucked up your marriage. How could you get Darla pregnant of all people?" Spike asked curiously.

"It was a mistake, Spike. A stupid mistake. Honestly, I don't even remember sleeping with her, but I woke up in bed naked with the wrong blonde next to me." Angel replied as he ran his hand over his face.

"Well, how do you plan on fixing this? I gotta say, Angel, this is gonna be a huge problem. It's not gonna go away. They're sisters. " Spike stated.

"I know. For as long as I can remember, Darla has hated Buffy. I don't understand why, but I have to fix this. I can't lose my family. I can't lose my wife and my kids, Spike. I won't." Angel said.

"That's all I need to hear. So what's the plan? Do you have a plan?" Spike asked ready to help his friend out.

"Do I look like I have a plan, Spike? All this shit blew up in my face in the span of ten minutes because your girlfriend couldn't keep her mouth shut." Angel said angrily looking Spike straight in the face.

"Hey, wait a minute , man. This is not Faith's fault. How did you expect her to keep that secret? Buffy is Faith's best friend. How could you even get her to keep that secret for so long is beyond me? You fucked up your marriage. Not Faith, so don't put the blame on her." Spike defended to Angel.

"I know man. I'm sorry. You are right. I still don't see how I ended up in bed with Darla that night. Everything is still hazy." Angel replied.

"Hazy? Angel, your wife and her sister are both pregnant at the same time and you are the father of both of them. Sorry to tell you, man, but I don't see how you are going to fix this with Buffy if that baby proves to be yours." Spike replied.

Angel was about to speak when there was a knock on the door interrupting their conversation. Spike got up and opened the door. What he saw wasn't a surprise at all as Xander came flying through the door and punched Angel in the face. Spike laughed because he knew things were about to get very interesting.

"You couldn't wait, huh? You just had to do it. You just had to sleep with Darla. I warned you, Angel. I warned you on your wedding day!" Xander yelled.

"Well, if it isn't Buffy's white knight? Did you rush over there to dry her tears too?" Angel asked sarcastically.

"I stood by your side. I stood by your side, Angel, as you pledged to love and cherish her forever. Why would you hurt her like this? Why would you drive an even bigger wedge between Buffy and Darla, knowing the bad blood between the sisters?" Xander asked.

"Why don't you do us both a favor, Xander, and stay the hell out of my marriage. I married Buffy. Buffy got pregnant with my children. I am only warning you once, Xander, stay the fuck out of my business!" Angel yelled, getting in Xander's face.

"Okay! Okay! That's enough! Y'all are not about to tear my shit up. Besides, if Angel gets hurt, I will never hear the end of it." Spike said pushing both men to opposite sides of the small living room.

"Now we are all friends here and this is a messy situation. Buffy and Darla have hated each other since they were teenagers. Nobody knows why, but that is family business. Xander, Buffy is married to Angel. Keep your high school crush and comments to yourself. Buffy does not need a knight in shining armor, for that she has her husband. I understand that she is your best friend, and she means a lot to you, but their marriage is their business. You're just making things worse so stay out of it." Angel looked at Xander and smirked but Spike was not done.

"And Angel I don't know why you're smirking. This whole shit is your fault. You with all of your secrets. You are my best friend and I will help you fix your marriage but you have to nip this Darla shit in the bud. She has been out for Buffy since before you guys met and that might not have anything to do with you, but this situation is only going to get worse. Add in the fact they are both pregnant, and we are looking at emotional central." Spike said to keep the peace between the two men, who have been bumping heads for years.

Xander looked at both men before walking out and slamming the door. Spike pulled out a cigarette to smoke. It was going to be a long day. Meanwhile across town in a beautiful condo, Darla just walked in through the door and saw her boyfriend, Lindsey, sitting on the couch. Darla walked over and sat next to him.

"So what happened?" Lindsey asked.

"Buffy is heartbroken. It felt so good to see the pain on her face. She did kick Angel out though." Darla replies.

"What are you going to do when they find out that baby is mine? Did you think about that at all, Darla? We were supposed to stick to the plan and try to get hush money from Angel, but you just wanted Buffy to know that you slept with her husband, which by the way did not happen. Why? Why do you have to hate your sister so much?" Lindsey questioned.

"Why do you care about Buffy so much? I am the oldest child, yet all anyone talked about was Buffy this or Buffy that. Darla, you should be more like Buffy. Darla, why can't you find a man like Buffy. Hell, it's not bad enough that she got Angel but she had to take Angelus away from me too. Buffy has ruined my life since the day she was born so I don't give a flying fuck how she feels. Nobody cared about how I felt growing up with her. Now, we are going to stick to the plan and have Angel cough up the $50,000 and that is the last time I want to hear anything about it, understand?" Darla ranted.

"Understood." Lindsey said as he watched Darla walk into their bedroom and closed the door. Lindsey took out his phone and sent a text message before grabbing his keys and leaving the house.

Sitting in her office going through some paperwork, a woman looked at her cellphone after hearing it vibrate. She opened the message which read, "_We need to talk. Meet me at Willy's in half an hour. Bring him. We might need a plan B." _The woman grabbed her keys and made a phone call before leaving to meet her acquaintance. Once arriving the woman walked to the back of the bar where two men were waiting sipping on beers. She sat down in front of the apple martini that was waiting on her.

"What happened, Lindsey?" The woman asked.

"We might need a new plan. Darla is fucking up and she confronted Buffy to gloat about Angel. Darla seems to be jealous of Buffy, especially when it comes to Angel and you. She is not thinking clearly." Lindsey stated looking at the mysterious man in the corner of the booth.

"Does Darla still feel some type of way because I chose Buffy over her? Too bad. Lilah, I told you we should have handled this ourselves because this is a delicate situation. Lindsey, you said you could handle it and now I see I am going to have to take over." The mysterious man states looking at Lindsey and Lilah coldly. They both shivered under the man's gaze.

"Angelus…" Lilah started before being cut off.

"Bitch, don't say my name! Did you forget where we are?! I don't want Buffy, Spike, Faith, and especially, my brother to know that I am out of prison let alone that I am in town. For now, we lay low. Let things happen naturally. Besides, if I know my brother, he is going to fuck things up even more before Buffy has a chance to even forgive him. Now, before anyone makes a move, I want everything to be run by me. I am about to turn my brother's world upside down. Any more mistakes and they won't find your bodies." Angelus demanded before getting up and walking out of the bar. Lilah and Lindsey silently looked at each other before downing their drinks and going their separate ways after leaving a tip for the waitress. With Angelus involved, they were praying that no one got seriously hurt or even killed. Sunnydale was about to become no man's land for everyone involved.


	3. A Past Revealed

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel characters. Those are of the genius mind of Joss Whedon. No copyright infringement intended.

Chapter III: A Past Revealed

***7 Years Ago***

_Buffy walked in the home that she shared with her boyfriend, Angelus, from the pouring rain and put her keys in the glass bowl by the door. Buffy looked around the living room and noticed lit candles and two wine glasses on the coffee table as well as classical music playing in the background. Buffy looked towards the stairs and heard a voice that sounded like moaning. She walked up the circular stairs to the second floor where the sounds were coming from and slowly pushed the bedroom door open. What she saw broke her heart in a million pieces. Here she was fighting with herself to inform him about her pregnancy and he was home having sex with someone else in their bed. Buffy grabbed her chest and tried to quietly back out of the bedroom, but she ended up bumping into the dresser that stood by the door instead, instead, interrupting the two lovers._

"_Shit, Buffy! Buffy, wait! I can explain!" Angelus yelled pushing the woman to the side and jumping out the bed to slip on his sweatpants._

"_No, don't. Please." Buffy pleaded turning around towards the door. Buffy ran down the stairs with Angelus close behind her. He grabbed her arm and received a slap in the face for his efforts from his crying girlfriend once she turned around._

"_How could you do that to me, Angelus? How could you cheat on me with Dru?" a crying Buffy asked._

"_Buffy, come on. Please just let me explain." Angelus responded._

"_No, I am done. I can't keep doing this with you, Angelus. All your lies and all your secrets. I will be back for my things in the morning. "Buffy stated._

_Buffy, come on. Don't walk away from everything that we have built together." Angelus said._

"_Everything we built you threw away the moment you decided to sleep with Dru in our bed. Tonight was supposed to have been special. Tonight was supposed to…you know what never mind. I'm leaving." Buffy cried._

"_What? You gonna run to my brother and let him give you a shoulder to cry on." Angelus said sarcastically. _

"_Angel has nothing to do with this. This is all on you. I love you, Angelus, you know I do but my heart can not take this much hurt and pain. I can not do this anymore. I won't do this anymore. I deserve better than this." Buffy reasoned with Angelus._

"_Buffy, please don't leave. I promise that I won't do it anymore. I will get counseling. I will do right by you. We will get married and have babies. Don't do this to us, baby, please. "Angelus pleaded. He could see her resolve was failing and she wanted to forgive him. She was just being stubborn._

"_Angelus, you told me that you would never cheat on me again when I caught you in bed with Darla. My sister wasn't enough and now you had to sleep with your brother's ex." Buffy said._

"_Buffy, come on. Please forgive me. We can start over. Just you and me." Angelus said._

"_Angelus, I…" Buffy started but was interrupted by Dru, who was standing at the top of the stairs with her body wrapped in a sheet._

"_Angelus, are you coming back to bed?" Dru asked._

"_Dru, go put your clothes back on!" Angelus barked at her before hearing the door slam with Buffy's departure. He had just lost the love of his life. With tears blurring her vision, Buffy was on the phone with Angel crying._

"_Angel, he was in the bed with Dru. First Darla and now Dru. I can't do this anymore. I just can't. "Buffy cried to Angel._

"_Buffy, you need to calm down. Where are you?" Angel asked concerned._

"_I am headed to your place. It is pouring down and I can barely see." Buffy stated._

"_Buffy, you need to pull over. You need to pull over now." Angel stated alarmed._

_Buffy never got the chance to respond. A car that was swerved into her lane sideswiped her car making her lose control in the uncontrollable weather. By the time the car stopped spinning, Buffy was no longer screaming and was unconscious when her car crashed into a tree. You could hear Angel yelling through the phone. _

"_Buffy? Buffy! Buffy! What happened! Oh my God! Buffy!" Angel yelled._

_Angel grabbed his car keys and rushed out of the house. He knew the route that Buffy took for his brother's house as there was only one route to get there. He jumped in the car and sped down the highway until he saw the flashing lights. Angel didn't care. He had to get to Buffy. Angel busted a U-turn and came to a complete stop near the ambulance that was currently loading Buffy into the ambulance._

"_Where are you taking her?! Buffy! What hospital?! Buffy! Come on, baby! Get up!" Angel yelled._

"_Sir! Sir! You have to stay back!" a police officer who was holding Angel back from reaching Buffy._

"_I have to be by her side! She needs me!" Angel yelled._

"_I know, sir, but you have to let the paramedics do their jobs so she can get the help that she needs. Now, do you know the young woman?" the police officer asked._

"_Yes, she is a friend. She was on the way to come see me." Angel stated after calming down. "Can you please tell me what hospital she will be going to so I can have our families meet us there?" _

"_They are taking her to Sunnydale General. You can meet them there" the officer stated. Angel sent a group text to everyone before heading to the hospital. The first to arrive was Willow and her girlfriend, Tara, both who had tears in their eyes._

"_Angel, what happened? Is she okay?" Willow asked frantically. _

"_I don't know, Will. They rushed her into surgery as soon as they got here. She was bleeding internally and went into cardiac arrest." Angel replied stoically._

"_Well, what happened?" Willow asked tearfully. Buffy was one of her best friends and she could not fathom the thought of living in a world where she was no longer here. Willow held on to Tara's hands tightly. Before Angel could answer, Faith and Spike ran through the automated doors._

"_What happened? Is Buffy okay?" Faith asked._

"_All I know is Buffy called me bawling her eyes out. She caught Angelus cheating on her again. I tried to calm her down but another car sideswiped her before she could get the chance." Angel explained._

"_Who was it this time? Was it Darla again? That bitch can't stand to see Buffy happy." Faith said as Spike was rubbing circular motions on her back to calm her down._

"_It wasn't Darla. It was Dru." Angel stated staring at Spike._

"_Why you looking at me like that? I tossed that crazy bitch away years ago. Darla and Dru is obsessed with you not me. I guess they couldn't succeed with you and decided to go for the next best thing: your dumb ass brother." Spike said._

"_Did anyone call Joyce or Mr. Giles?" Tara asked quietly._

"_I did. They are making flight arrangements to catch the first flight out of England." Angel said._

"_Did you call Xander or Cordelia?" Faith asked._

"_Cordelia and Doyle are driving from Los Angeles and Xander should be on his way." Angel answered. Approximately three hours later, the waiting room was filled with Buffy's friends as they waited patiently for some news about Buffy. Joyce and Giles were still up in the air so it was up to them to make sure their friend was okay. A doctor finally came out and looked at the waiting room._

"_Are you the family of Elizabeth Summers?" the doctor asked._

"_Yes we are." Xander answered._

"_My name is Doctor Andrew Sullivan and I was brought in to perform the surgery on your friend. The surgery was successful and we were able to stop the bleeding. However, we were unable to save Ms. Summers' baby." Dr. Sullivan said._

"_Baby? Buffy was pregnant?" Faith asked._

"_Ms. Summers was about ten weeks along. Again, I am sorry for your loss." Dr. Sullivan stated._

"_When can we see her?" Cordelia asked._

"_As soon as she is in recovery, a nurse will escort you one at a time." Dr. Sullivan said before walking away._

"_Did anyone call Angelus? I know we all hate the man's guts and he's an evil sonofabitch, but she is his girlfriend." Anya stated looking around at everyone. No one spoke but Angel took his phone out and realized that he had a few missed calls from his brother already. He returned the call and Angelus pickup up on the first ring._

"_What the hell took you so long to return my calls?" Angelus asked as soon as he picked up._

"_Listen, Buffy is in the hospital. She was in a car accident." Angel stated._

"_What hospital?" Angelus asked._

"_Sunnydale General." Angel said._

"_I'm on my way." Angelus said and hung up the phone. When Angelus arrived, the waiting room was quiet and the tension was high. Angelus walked over to his brother, who was sitting with his head in his hands._

"_What happened? Who did this? Where is Buffy? Is she okay?" Angelus asked frantically._

"_Now you want to show concern? Where was the concern when you was in bed with Dru?" Doyle asked._

"_Why is anything that I do any of your business?" Angelus replied starkly._

"_Because what you do inadvertently hurts Buffy." Xander stated._

"_And here goes Buffy's white knight. Aren't you tired of fighting for a woman that will never love you back?" Angelus teased._

"_Why did you have to do her like that, Angelus? Why did you have to sleep with Dru? Darla wasn't enough for you?" Willow asked._

"_Why is everyone jumping down my throat like Buffy is the innocent one here? Like she hasn't been having an affair with my brother our entire relationship?" Angelus stated exasperated._

"_What?! You sonofabitch! After everything that she has put up with from you and you thin that she would betray you like that!" Angel yelled in his brother's face._

"_Come on, Angel. Everybody in this room knows that I was Buffy's second fuckin' choice! You left her! You left her and I was here to pick up the pieces! She never wanted me! It was always you! Always Angel this and Angel that! Whenever we got into an argument, who does she always run to?! You! I hate your fuckin' name! Always competing with you for her heart! She loves you not me so I do what the fuck I want! Its not like she cares anyway!" Angelus yelled._

"_Did you give her a choice? From day one, I have been the one to dry her tears when you did something wrong. I was the one that nurture her back to health when she was sick. I was the one there for her everytime you fucked up. Don't blame this on me! You fucked up! This time you actually got caught. Dru didn't have time to go behind your back and tell Buffy because she hated her. Buffy caught you in the act instead!" Angel yelled._

_Angelus punched Angel so hard that it took him off his feet. Angel punched Angelus back and the two twin brothers began fighting. Doyle, Xander, and Spike tried to break them up but it was no use until the security guards came with some assistance followed by a nurse._

"_You guys have to leave if you do not stop this foolishness right now! This is a hospital and we have patients resting!" the nurse yelled. Both Angel and Angelus was pushed to separate corners of the room. It was another hour before a nurse came in the tensed filled room. _

"_Is there an Angel in here?" the nurse asked._

"_Right here." Angel replied._

"_Ms. Summers is requesting your presence. Right this way, sir" the nurse replied._

"_See what I mean. Tell Buffy to give me a call when she is feeling better." Angelus stated disappointed before shoving past his brother and walking out of the door. Everyone looked at one another before turning their attention back to Angel and the nurse._

"_Sir? Sir, are you ready? Visiting hours is almost over" the nurse said._

"_Yes. Yes, I am." Angel replied before following the nurse through the double doors that led to where Buffy was in recovery._

Angelus was sitting in his office at home gathering his thoughts. He was out of prison and could finally be reunited with the girl of his dreams. It was just taking a lot of scheming and planning, but he was very close to his goal. He was ready to settle down with Buffy as his wife and have a family. With Angel in the way, he knew that would be near impossible and the only way to get rid of him would be to kill his brother. Angel stole the love of his life away from him and he would pay dearly for that with his life.


	4. Reminder

Chapter Four

_Spike and Angel were sitting in their high school library waiting on their girlfriends, Faith and Buffy at their hangout and where Buffy's stepfather, Rupert Giles, worked. Angel gave out a long sigh before Spike gave him an exasperated look._

"_So have you told Buffy that you decided to go to Northwestern instead of UCLA with her?" Spike finally asked._

"_No. I don't know what to tell her man. Telling her that I am not going with the plan that we discussed is not going to bode too well with her." Angel replied._

"_Angel, you knew you were going to Northwestern ever since you received that acceptance letter months ago. Prom is next weekend and graduation is a few weeks away. You are running out of time." Spike told him._

"_How am I supposed to tell her that I decided on a college that is literally thousands of miles away from her? Northwestern has the best architectural program for me? I don't want to leave her just for Angelus to try to move in on my girl, but I have to do what is best for me." Angel replied._

"_I just hope you know what you are doing. Angelus decided on UCLA so you better make sure that this decision is the right decision because Angelus won't hesitate to try and take Buffy the minute that you are gone." Spike stated looking at Angel._

"_Just for now, can you keep this conversation between me and you? I mean it, Spike. No telling Faith. She would just run and tell Buffy as if she doesn't hate me enough already because of the Darla situation that happened last year?" Angel said._

"_Man, that Darla situation was not your fault. I still don't see how to two people could grow up in the same house and hate each other that much. That girl really hates Buffy and you know the only reason that she is with Angelus right now is because she can't have you. She wants everything that Buffy has for some reason. Jealousy is a bitch, aint it?" Spike said laughing. _

"_Yeah, aren't we quite a pair? My brother hates me. Her sister hates her. Together, they are probably planning our demise right now." Angel said laughing. Buffy and Faith finally walked through the door and the look on Buffy's face was not a happy one. Angel looked at her with concern._

"_What's wrong?" Angel asked concerned._

"_What's wrong? Why is it that I had to hear from your brother that you are going to Northwestern instead of UCLA like we planned?!" Buffy yelled._

"_How did you find out?" Angel asked._

"_How did I find out? How did I find out? Did you just ask me that? There should have been nothing for me to find out because we already made a decision! We decided together on UCLA! You made this decision months ago, Angel, and never told me!" Buffy yelled with tears streaming down her face. "How could you do that to me, Angel? How could you do that to us?"_

"_Buffy…" Angel started before he was interrupted by Faith._

"_I think you have done enough already, big guy. Right now, she needs some space." Faith said before grabbing her friend and leaving the library. The space that Buffy needed ended up lasting years. They never went to Prom together and was not even speaking when graduation came a few weeks later. Angel decided to give Buffy the break she needed from the relationship and before he knew it, it was time for him to leave. He never got to apologize to Buffy. It wasn't until Spike told him that Buffy was spending a lot of time with Angelus did Angel realize that enough space had gone on between them. By the time Thanksgiving break came during his first semester of college, Angel realized that Buffy had moved on with his brother. After that visit, Angel did not return home until he graduated while Buffy had moved on with his brother._

Knowing that Angel would have nothing but one place to go to, Darla made her way over to Spike's apartment. Angel was interrupted from his memories by someone knocking on the door. Due to the fact that Spike was out with Faith somewhere, Angel answered the door. He never expected to see a pregnant Darla on the other side.

"What do you want, Darla? You already ruined my marriage. What else is there for you to take?" Angel asked.

"What I want is for you to take responsibility for this child that I am carrying. This is your child too, Angel." Darla stated.

"That is still debatable. You really think I am going to take your word for it that this is my child. I don't think so." Angel replied.

"That is not fair, Angel. When Buffy got pregnant, you was by her side the entire time. Why can't you be like that with me?" Darla cried.

"With Buffy, I never had to worry whether or not the baby that she carried was actually mine or someone else's. With you, I do because you do not keep your legs closed. Now I would appreciate it if you would leave and do not contact me again unless the baby is born and we can have a paternity test." Angel said before slamming the door in Darla's face after she walked out. Angel grabbed Spike's bottle of liqour and sat down to drown his sorrows. He never in his life thought that he would be caught between his wife and his sister in law. This was his nightmare come true and he did not know what he was going to do.


	5. A New Beginning

Chapter V: A New Beginning

"_Darla, can I __borrow__ your cashmere sweater to go out with my friends?" Buffy __asked, peaking__ into her sister's room. Darla looked at her younger sister from her vanity mirror._

"_No. Why do you need my sweater? You have your own clothes." Darla replied snarkily._

"_Dang, __it's__ only a sweater. No need to get so nasty about it." Buffy replied._

"_I wouldn't need to if you would stay out of my stuff, out of my clothes, out of my business, and out of my life, you little brat." Darla said nastily._

"_DARLA!" their mother, Joyce, said walking in on the end of the conversation. "Apologize to your sister, right now!"_

"_Why? __It's__ always about Buffy. Darla, don't say that. You'll hurt Buffy's feelings. Darla, don't do that to Buffy, she's fragile. Why when it comes to Buffy, Darla always get the short end of the stick?" Darla said._

"_She's your baby sister, Darla. She has done nothing wrong." Joyce said._

"_She did everything wrong just by existing." Darla said before walking out the room leaving her mother and sister stunned. Joyce turned to a crying Buffy and opened her arms for her heartbroken daughter. She did not know where she went wrong with Darla, but things needed to change. Since the divorce from the girls' father, Hank, Darla has become even more vicious with her words to not just Buffy but herself as well._

_Walking out the front door, Darla saw Angelus waiting in his car. She slammed the door after getting in._

"_Hey, watch the damn door!" Angelus yelled._

"_Sorry! Let's go to the party! I need a drink!" Darla __said, folding__ her arms and leaning back against the seat. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath._

"_What crawled up your ass?" Angelus asked before driving off. Everytime he picked Darla up, she had an attitude over something that Buffy had done. What he didn't understand was how she can hate something so beautiful. Buffy was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen._

_Meanwhile Joyce was helping Buffy to get ready for her first date with Parker, a nice boy from down the street. Joyce showed Buffy the remarkable joy of hiding tears with makeup._

"_Mommy, why __doesn't__ she like me? What did I ever do to her?" Buffy asked._

"_You did nothing, sweetheart. Darla is just having a tough time right now." Joyce lied to her daughter. Truth was that she did not know what Darla's problem was and Darla refused to talk to any of them. The joys of having two teenage daughters. Joyce finished helping Buffy get ready. After Buffy left, Joyce took her glass of wine and went into her office to work on some new pieces for the gallery before the girls came back home._

_Meanwhile at the party, Angelus was sipping a beer while Darla was sitting on his lap playing with the hairs on the back of his head. Angelus knew where the night was going to end with them; that was until he saw the little punk that lived down the street from Darla, Parker, walking in with his arm around Buffy. He couldn't explain the anger that he felt in that moment, but he just knew that this was not a good thing especially since he knew Parker's reputation._

"_Did you know that your sister was going out with Parker tonight?" Angelus asked Darla._

"_Who cares? What I do know is how I am going to take these clothes off of you tonight__.__" Darla replied._

"_Darla, I'm serious. That guy is bad news." Angelus stated._

"_Buffy, Buffy, Buffy. That's all I hear about. I came here to have fun with you, not hear about my bratty sister. Just because your brother dumped her, doesn't mean that she gets to stop all of my fun. When you are ready to have a good time, you know where to find me." Darla said __angrily, getting__ up and stomping away to get another drink. Angelus looked over to where Parker handed Buffy a drink as they were hanging with a few of their friends. He got up and walked over to the couple._

"_Hey Buff. Aren't you a little too young to be at this party, huh?" Angelus __smirked, bumping__ her shoulder._

"_Shh. Don't tell my mother." Buffy laughed._

"_Hey Angelus. What's up man?" Parker said smacking Angelus on his back._

_Angelus looked at Parker with the coldest eyes Buffy had ever seen which made her sober up._

"_Let's get one thing straight, Parker. I am not your friend. I am not your buddy. I am not your brother. I don't like you. In fact, I despise your very being. I will protect Buffy with my life. When she gets __dropped__ off at home tonight, there __better__ not be a hair out of place or you will have to answer to me, __understand__." Angelus said looking straight at Parker._

_Parker looked at his friends before smirking, "Your brother is not here. In fact, they broke up and Buffy is no longer his business. What we do is now our business so I suggest you go run back to her sister like you were a few minutes ago and mind your business." _

_Buffy began to sway on her feet "Angel, I don't feel so good." Angelus looked at Buffy and realized that the drink that she had earlier had been drugged. Angelus grabbed Parker by his shirt and slammed him against the wall. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU GIVE HER?!" _

"_Hey! Angelus, what is going on here? Why are you over here?" Darla asked tuning in to the commotion like everyone else._

"_This little punk put something in your sister's drink." Angelus said turning to Darla._

"_Here we go with Buffy again. She is faking all this for attention! Tell him Buffy! Tell him you little bitch!" Darla said yelling at her sister. "You tell him you are faking it!"_

_Buffy looked at Darla wide-eyed just moments before her face was forcefully turned to the side. The whole room was quiet as they watched Darla slap her younger sister. Everyone was shocked. Before Darla could slap her again, her hand was caught mid-air and she was shocked to see that Angelus was the one stopping her._

"_Touch her again and you will regret it." Angelus stated coldly._

"_What does she have that I don't, Angelus? Why is it that you and Angel always run to her rescue? What about me?" Darla said quietly._

_Angelus never responded. He picked up Buffy and they left with people giving them a wide berth. Taking her to his place, Angelus immediately put Buffy in a cold shower to wake her up. _

"_What?...Why?...Where am __I__? What happened? Angelus, why are you here?" Buffy __asked, a__ little disoriented._

"_Parker drugged you at the party. He put something in your drink." Angelus said looking at her. Buffy looked intensely into Angelus' eyes before leaning in close and kissing him on the lips which shocked Angelus. He quickly backed away and looked at Buffy. There was a moment of silence before Buffy stood up to apologize. Before she could say anything, Angelus__'__ lips __were__ on hers again and she felt so alive. There was no shame. There was no guilt. There was no sorrow. Angelus kissed her until breathing became an issue and put his forehead against Buffy's breathing heavily._

"_What about my brother? What about Angel?" Angelus asked breathily._

"_What about him? Angel left me with no regards to how I would feel about it. He left me, not the other way around. I am not replacing him and I don't feel guilty. I want this, Angelus. I want you." Buffy said breathing hard. Angelus looked in Buffy's hazel eyes to see if he could detect anything different than what she was saying and when he realized the truth, he kissed her again wrapping her legs around him as they made out for the first time._

Buffy woke up sweating wondering where this dream came from. Her heart was beating fast and steadily. Buffy got up out of bed and went to check on Connor, forgetting that Connor was at Willows for the night until she noticed the empty bed. Looking out the window, Buffy saw a black Navigator with tinted windows down the street. There was something strange about her dream. Why dream about Angelus? They always had a connection and Buffy could feel something bad was coming. Rubbing her pregnant belly, Buffy turned around and went back to bed. Angelus, on the other hand, looked out the tinted window of the Navigator as he noticed Buffy leave from the window. He could see her pregnant belly and the only thing he could think about was that she would be his. Connor would be his. Angel's daughter would be his. Buffy would be his again.

"Soon. Soon, my love. We will be together again." Angelus stated before he slowly drove by the house and went home.


	6. Four Years Later

Chapter VI

Four Years Later

_Four years later, Angel was on his way back to Sunnydale from Chicago after graduating with his Criminal Justice degree from Northwestern and he was nervous. He heard the rumors and avoided any conversation where his ex-girlfriend's name would be mentioned, but it was hard to hear that she had moved on with his brother. He couldn't necessarily complain, not when he was sitting next to his current girlfriend, Kate. No one understood his fascination with the blonde, but she sort of reminded him of the love of his life. Walking through the airport with Kate's hand in his, Angel was surprised to see Faith and Cordelia standing alongside their boyfriends, Spike and Doyle, who were his best friends._

"_Hey guys. It's good to see you." Angel said, hugging his friends with a smile on his face._

"_Hey Angel. How's it going man?" Doyle asked, hugging his best friend. Angel took turns greeting and hugging everyone before introducing them to his girlfriend._

"_I want to introduce you guys to someone. Kate, this is Spike, Doyle, Faith, and Cordelia. Guys, this is Kate, my girlfriend." Angel said._

_Faith and Cordelia greeted Kate but not without Angel noticing the look that they gave him. He knew that look and it meant trouble. _

"_Where's Gunn?" Angel asked, noticing him missing from the crowd._

"_He's back at the house. Him and Fred moved in together this weekend. He's gonna stop by later though." Spike said._

"_Faith? Cordelia? How is she?" Angel questioned about Buffy._

_Cordelia looked at Faith._

"_She is….um….Angel, we haven't spoken to Buffy in over a year. Her and Angelus moved back to Los Angeles. She transferred schools and everything. She hasn't visited, called, or written an email or letter. Nothing, she just up and left when he mentioned them moving." Faith said solemnly._

"_Who is Buffy?" Kate asked, wondering why Angel was so interested in this girl. He never looked that heartbroken over her, even when they broke up a few months ago. She was going to find out who this girl was and make sure Angel stayed far away from her._

"_What do you mean she just left? Buffy would not just leave. At least the Buffy I know would not just leave without contacting anyone." Angel said looking at his friends._

"_It's true, mate. Buffy ain't the same girl she was when you left. She changed. She changed a whole lot and then one day she just left. Told Faith she was transferring and disappeared." Spike told Angel._

"_Only reason we know anything about her whereabouts is because Oz bumped into her and Angelus at one of his gigs in Los Angeles. That's about all we know about her." Cordelia said._

_Angel looked at his friends in disbelief. He hoped that Buffy was alright. They might not have spoken since they broke up but he still cared about her. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, Buffy and Angelus were at home spending time together. Buffy looked at the beautiful diamond ring on her left hand. She could not believe that she was getting married. Angelus had changed since they moved to Los Angeles and she hoped that it stayed that way, but now they were headed back home to Sunnydale to inform their parents. Angelus wanted to be married by the end of the summer, but Buffy wanted to wait until she finished school. Maybe she can see Willow, Faith, and Cordelia and ask them to be a part of her wedding. Angelus came into the room and saw Buffy packing their bags, lost in thought. He walked behind her and put his arms around her waist and started kissing on her neck._

"_What's wrong? Are you having second thoughts?" Angelus asked._

"_No, I'm not having second thoughts, but I am nervous to see my friends again. I haven't spoken to them since we moved out here, Angelus." Buffy replied._

"_Is it just your friends' reaction you are worried about or someone else?" Angelus asked, removing his hands from around her waist._

"_Someone else? Someone like who?" Buffy asked knowing where this conversation was headed._

"_You know who? Are you worried because Angel is going to be back in town?" Angelus asked._

"_Angelus, Angel and I have been done for years. Why do you feel so insecure when it comes to your brother? I am with you. I love you. I am marrying you. You have nothing to worry about and nothing will be able to change that or my feelings for you." Buffy replied walking over to Angelus who had walked over to the window. _

_Buffy grabbed Angelus by his chin and turned him towards her before kissing him passionately on the lips. Not a second went by before Angelus grabbed Buffy and picked her up before walking towards the bed and gently laying her down. Angelus pulled back from Buffy and took off his shirt before removing her shirt and making his way to her taut nipples that were peeking through her lace covered bra. Feeling Angelus' mouth on her nipples, Buffy moaned in pleasure before taking control and flipping Angelus on his back where she proceeded to kiss down his toned chest. The beautiful couple made love for hours before realizing that they were late in traveling on the road. In Sunnydale, Angel walked through the front door of his parents house with Kate trailing behind him into the open arms of his parents, Angelo and Katherine._

"_My baby has finally come home." Katherine said, hugging her son._

"_Hey Mom. How's it going, Dad?" Angel said._

"_Good, son. It's good to see you home." Angelo said patting his son on the back. "Don't get mad, but we got a call from your brother. He's coming here with Buffy tonight."_

"_Great. Just great. I guess it's better to get this over with now than later." Angel moaned before guiding Kate to his room. Kate looked at his parents apologetically before following behind him. Kate walked in Angel's room and noticed him laying back on his bed. She closed the door and went to straddle his lap only to be brushed to the side by Angel who was clearly not in the mood._

"_Okay. Since we landed, I have heard this Buffy girl mentioned and you seem to get this look on your face that I have never seen before. Who is this girl, Angel?" Kate asked curiously._

"_Buffy is…..Buffy is complicated. She's my high school sweetheart who apparently decided to date my twin brother once I left for college." Angel replied, sighing. This was not a subject that he wanted to talk about._

"_Was she important to you?" Kate asked._

"_Yes, she was very important. The break up wasn't even her fault. We made plans to attend college together and the week of graduation, I decided on my own to go to a different college. She didn't even hear the news from me, but from my brother instead. I never gave her the option to change her mind or even try the long distance relationship. She was mad when I left, and I just left it at that. I never called or tried to check up on her at all. I just moved on." Angel said, explaining his relationship to Buffy._

"_Angel, it is not all your fault. She could have contacted you as well. Instead, she moved on with your brother which in my book states that she never wanted to be with you in the first place." Kate replied._

"_Kate, Buffy and I have a complicated history. You can't really judge someone that you don't know. Our relationship was not perfect, but it was special. She loved me and I loved her. There were no ifs, ands, or buts about that. You could never understand the type of relationship that we had. Not only was she my girlfriend, but Buffy was my best friend. She was a great person both inside and out." Angel told her seriously. _

_Their conversation was interrupted by voices that they heard downstairs. Angel grabbed Kate's hand as they made their way down the stairs to visit with his ex and brother. Dinner was a quiet affair after introductions and they were all sitting in the living room having dessert and cake. _

"_Mom, we have an announcement to make." Angelus said grabbing Buffy by the hand._

"_What is it, son?" Katherine said looking at him skeptically._

"_Buffy and I are getting married. I proposed to her last night and she said yes." Angelus stated excitedly._

"_Are you sure that is what she wants, son?" Angelo asked his son, knowing the history between the brothers and the girl that they both loved._

"_What the hell do you mean by that, Dad? I didn't force her to say yes if that's what you are asking." Angelus stated angrily._

"_Well, seeing as how her and Angel can't stop eyeing each other all night, I would like to know for once who she is going to choose. If it's you, I am happy for the both of you, but this has gone on long enough. A decision needs to be made." Angelo stated looking at his sons._

"_Mr. Angelo, I love Angelus very much. Angel is my past and I expect for him to stay there. Angelus healed my heart when Angel broke it and for that I will always be grateful. He taught me so many new levels to a relationship and I believe that we are ready for this next step. I am ready to become Angelus' wife and the mother of his child. This is something that we both want and nothing will get in the way of that. Now, if you would excuse me, I would like to take my fiance' to bed." Buffy stated and looked Angelus' parents in the eye. She grabbed Angelus by his hand and walked upstairs to the bedroom that they were sleeping in. Feeling eyes on them, Angelus looked at his brother with his trademark smirk on his face and noticed the angry look in his eyes that was very similar to his own as well as Angel's girlfriend,Kate, jealous look. Tonight was going to be a good night for him to see his brother squirm. Afterall, they were sleeping right across the hall from one another._

Walking out the Espresso Pump coffee shop with drinks for her friends, Tara was shocked to see Darla and Drusilla across the street at the park. They were deep in conversation when Angelus walked up behind Darla and began kissing her neck. Their plan was working perfectly. Tara could not believe it. She did not believe that Angel would willingly do something like this to Buffy after everything they went through just to get back together. Tara held up her phone from the darkened alley that she was standing in and took a picture of the three. She was sending a message to one of their mutual friends when she felt the sharpest pain in her life. Looking down at where she felt the pain, Tara was shocked to see a knife was poking through her stomach. She dropped the drinks and her phone as she lay on the cold ground dying. Her killer stood above her and watched as the color drained from her beautiful blue eyes. He looked at the phone that was lying beside her blinking with the word "Message sent." He was too late. Across town in a beautiful condo that they just renovated, Fred and her boyfriend, Gunn, were getting dressed to go meet their friends at a nightclub in the city when she got the message. She knew all about the drama between Buffy and Angel, courtesy of Cordelia calling her to gossip, but the last thing she expected was to see it in an actual picture. Fred picked up her phone and called Tara multiple times and received no answer. That was not like Tara at all.

"GUNN! GUNN!" Fred yelled to her boyfriend.

"WHAT!" Gunn yelled back running into the living room where his girlfriend was shaking.

"Something's wrong, Gunn! Tara just sent me this message and now I can't reach her." Fred said frantically. She had a bad feeling about this.

"Fred, you might be overreacting. She might be busy with Willow." Gunn explained.

"Gunn, I am serious. Look at this picture. I'm worried. Something doesn't feel right." Fred said, handing the phone over to Gunn. Being an investigator taught Gunn to look at a situation from every angle.

"Babe, I think that you're right. Something is not right about this whole situation. This is not Angel hugging Darla. This is Angelus, his twin brother." Gunn said, looking at her. "We need to call Willow and find Tara now." Fred gasped before they grabbed their jackets and ran out of the door. A drunk man needing to find the closest alley to use the bathroom, walked down the alley and began handling his business. After he was done, he began walking towards the other end of the alley on his way home when he tripped and fell on something wet. Turning his head in the direction of the object that he tripped over, the drunk man noticed a girl with her eyes wide open and not breathing. There was no type of life in the young girl. It was Tara.


	7. Help

Chapter VII

_Music was playing in the background as Buffy sat at the dining room table alone. She had been married to Angelus for four months now and things had changed between them, but not in a good way. Her husband was barely home, and tonight was special. Tonight, was the night of their anniversary of when they began dating. They had made plans. Buffy had cooked a romantic dinner and had candles lit, but it was beginning to get near midnight. Her husband was over three hours late. Tears fell down Buffy's heartbroken face as she blew out the candles and walked upstairs. Buffy locked the bedroom door before getting ready for bed. Since they got married, Angelus has been coming home late and smelling like women's perfume. Buffy did not want to assume that he was back to his old tricks, but she knew better, and she knew him. Buffy cried herself to sleep. Feeling the sun on her face, Buffy opened her eyes and felt an arm wrapped around her. She sighed heavily until she felt Angelus move his arms._

"_Buff, I know that you are awake." Angelus said._

"_How did you get in here?" Buffy asked._

"_This is my bedroom too, you know. Why did you lock the door?" Angelus asked._

"_You should know why I locked the door. This is the third time this week that you have not kept your promises. I am tired, okay. We had a romantic dinner planned last night and you left me sitting here alone." Buffy stated._

"_Baby, I am so sorry. I was working on a case late last night. I did not even realize how late it really was. When I came in, you were already in bed and I didn't want to wake you." Angelus excused._

"_Who was the client this time? Drusilla? Harmony? Hell, it might have been my sister again. Did you show her a good time? Did you enjoy sex with her? Did she enjoy making love with you because I did not get a chance to. How was it? Answer me!" Buffy said getting out of the bed and facing him._

"_Buffy, what the hell are you talking about?" Angelus asked, getting out of the bed as well and in her face. "I told you that I was working. Why do you have to bring Dru and your sister into this every time we argue?"_

"_Maybe if you would stop fucking them like you don't have a wife at home then I would not have to. I sit at home. I cook. I clean. I take care of your house and you come home smelling like perfume every day of the week and it is not my brand. You told me that you would stop! You told me that you wouldn't hurt me!" Buffy yelled._

"_For the last fucking time, I am not cheating on you, Buffy." Angelus said angrily._

"_Maybe if I go out with Riley, that will get your attention." Buffy said._

"_What the fuck did you just say? What did you just say?" Angelus asked, getting in her face._

"_You heard exactly what I said. Riley, your friend asked me out to dinner, and I might take him up on his offer since my husband seems to be otherwise occupied with other women all of the time. Maybe he can help me with some of my needs." Buffy said. Before Buffy could say another word, Angelus had his hand around her throat, and he was choking her._

"_If I ever, and I fucking mean ever, see you talking to a man that is not me, you will regret it! I will kill him and then you! You hear me!" Angelus yelled still with his hands around her throat. " I can't hear you. Do you understand me?!"_

"_Y…. Y….Yes." Buffy croaked out, clawing at him to let her go. Angelus removed his hand from her throat and pushed Buffy against the wall. That was the first time that Angelus ever put his hands on her, but it was not the last. _

_***8 months later***_

_Buffy was curled up in a ball as Angelus was beating on her again. It didn't take much to anger him anymore. This time, he didn't like the attention she was getting from other men at the restaurant they went to celebrate their one-year anniversary. Since she was no longer in touch with her friends, Buffy felt very alone. Ripping the dress off of her, Angelus made sure to tear it to shreds. He was so angry. HOW DARE SHE EMBARRASS HIM LIKE THAT?! HIM! CEO OF WOLFRAM & HART! SHE KNEW BETTER! Well, he was going to teach her a lesson about respect. Hours later, Angelus was gone, and Buffy was in the corner of the room battered and bruised. She had a phone in her hand and dialed a familiar number._

"_Hello? Hello?" the person on the other line said._

"_A…..Angel? Can you please come get me? Please?" Buffy cried._

"_Buffy? Buffy, what's wrong?" Angel asked, alarmed._

"_Please come get me before he comes back." Buffy said._

"_I'll be there in ten minutes." Angel said, picking up his keys. He never expected the scene that he walked into though. Buffy was afraid. She was very afraid and his brother was the reason._

"_Don't worry, Buffy. I got you. I always got you." Angel said, picking Buffy up. Checking her into the hospital, Angel was worried. If there was anything Buffy hated, it was hospitals but he had to make sure that she was okay. She was barely conscious when they got there. Dr. Warner, a friend of Angel's, came through the double doors._

"_Angel, you here for Buffy Summers?" Dr. Warner asked._

"_Yeah." Angel replied._

"_Ms. Summers had a few broken ribs. It appears that she was also raped as well. Do you know what happened to her?" Dr. Warner asked._

"_Raped? Are you sure? She was barely speaking when I got to her and she nearly passed out in the car." Angel asked._

"_Yes, I am positive. She shows signs of agitated scarring and bruising. She is going to be okay though. Her and the baby." Dr. Warner said._

"_Baby? Buffy's pregnant?" Angel asked._

"_Yes, Buffy is currently eight weeks pregnant. So far everything looks very good, but Ms. Summers is very lucky. None of the bruising affected the fetus. Angel, I apologize but whoever abused this young lady has been abusing her for a long time. I would get her some help immediately." Dr. Warner advised._

_Dr. Warner put a hand on Angel's shoulder before leaving to check on her other patients. Angel walked down to Buffy's private room and sat next to her bed. Buffy looked at Angel and smiled._

"_Buffy, how are you holding up?" Angel asked._

"_Angel, he can never know. Your brother can never know that I am pregnant with his child." Buffy stated determinedly._

"_I won't tell him, Buffy, but you do know what happens after this. We have to inform the police and file charges. I can't handle this case. I'm too involved with you." Angel said._

"_I know. I want to file charges. I have to file charges. I can't lose this baby too, Angel." Buffy cried. Angel got in bed with Buffy and pulled her into his chest to comfort her. He vowed that his brother would never be able to hurt Buffy ever again._

Willow Rosenberg was sitting in the living room waiting on her girlfriend to return home with their coffees from the coffee shop. She had been gone for awhile and Willow was starting to get worried. Willow was startled when there was a knock on her door. Opening the door, she was relieved to see Gunn and Fred on the other side but she knew that something was wrong by the expressions on their face.

"Gunn? Fred? What's going on?" Willow asked.

"Where is Tara? Is she home?" Fred asked.

"No, she went to the coffee shop to get us some drinks. What happened? What's wrong?" Willow asked.

Before anyone had a chance to answer, there was a knock on the door. Willow opened the door to see two detectives on the other side this time.

"Hi. Can I help you?" Willow asked shakily with Gunn and Fred behind her.

"Are you Willow Rosenberg?" the detective asked.

"Yes." Willow answered.

"Ms. Rosenberg, I am Detective Morano and this is my partner, Detective Morales. I am sorry to inform you, but we found Tara McClay in the alley on the side of the coffee shop. She was killed. I am very sorry for your loss." Detective Morano said.

"NO! NO NO NO NO! NOT TARA! NO, TARA! NO!" Willow screamed as she fell against Gunn's chest.

Fred grabbed onto Willow as they slid to the ground in tears. All anyone can hear down the block is the cries of heartbroken women. Meanwhile across town, Angelus received a phone call from an unknown number.

"It's done, sir. She never even saw me coming." The unknown voice said on the line.

"Good. You will be paid shortly." Angelus replied.

"Thank you sir. Nice working with you." The unknown voice said.

Angelus hung up the phone and smiled.

"Let the games begin." Angelus said out loud to no one in particular.


	8. Divorce

Buffy was nervous as she sat in the office of Lindsey McDonald, Angelus' associate, and lawyer. She was glad that it was winter, and she could wear a coat. That no one would look at her wondering if she were crazy. Buffy knew that Lindsey would run back and tell Angelus the moment that he found out or even worse, her sister, and that was the last thing that she wanted to happen. Angel was going to raise her son. Angel was going to be her son's father, and no one was going to be none the wiser, especially Angelus. He could never know that the little boy growing in her belly was his son. Buffy was startled when the door opened, and Lindsey walked in with his briefcase. Angelus was not in attendance due to the plea deal that was arranged and the protection order. Buffy looked at Lindsey with all the disgust in the world until she felt her lawyer, Wesley, tapping her on the shoulder.

"Hello again Buffy." Lindsey said smiling.

"Hello Lindsey." Buffy replied, rolling her eyes.

"So, as discussed in the agreement between you and Mr. O'Connor, Ms. Summers would receive half of everything. Ms. Summers will still be able to receive alimony from Mr. O'Connor until she gets remarried. The vacation homes in Los Angeles, New York, and Paris as well as the house in Sunnydale will belong to Ms. Summers as well as her car. The only thing that Angelus requests is that you visit him one last time and then he will sign the papers." Lindsey stated, reading the divorce agreement.

"Absolutely not! The last time he saw her, she was raped and beaten down! There is a protection order in place!" Wesley yelled.

"That is the only request he has, Mr. Price. She visits and he will sign the papers. No more hesitation. No more continuances. Your lawyer can even be in attendance to make sure nothing happens if that would make you feel better, Buffy." Lindsey stated.

"I will do it, Wesley." Buffy said.

"Buffy, you don't have to do this. We can find another way." Wesley reasoned with her.

"I want to do this. If it will get Angelus to leave me alone and give me some peace, I have to do this." Buffy said looking at her lawyer.

"We will contact you with a date and time. In the meantime, I need you to sign these papers." Lindsey stated pointing at the divorce papers. Handing the papers to Wesley, Buffy was relieved. She was halfway done with this part of her life and could finally move on to the next phase. Her son. Wesley nodded and Buffy signed at the appropriate parts before they left the room.

"He can never find out about this baby, Wesley. He will hurt my baby." Buffy whispered.

"We won't let that happen, Buffy, most importantly Angel will never let that happen." Wesley said as they descended in the elevator.

***Two weeks later**

Meanwhile in a prison in the heart of the city, Angelus laid on his bed reading a book when he heard the guard slamming his nightstick against the bars.

"O'CONNOR! YOU HAVE A VISITOR!" the guard yelled. Angelus glared at the guard before making his way to the visitor's room. Sitting in the corner with Wesley hovering nearby was his wife. Angelus smiled before making his way over to the table and sitting down.

"You can leave now, Wesley. This conversation is between me and my wife." Angelus stated, coldly, before watching Wesley walk over to a chair by the window.

"How are you doing?" Angelus asked his wife.

"Are you serious? You are really asking me how I am doing. Why haven't you signed the papers, Angelus?" Buffy asked.

"Why are you rushing this divorce so bad? So, you could go live happily ever after with my brother? It sure didn't take you long to get into his bed, did it?" Angelus stated angrily.

"Angelus, you hurt me. You know what you did. There is no need for us to rehash this out. When I married you, you promised me that you would never hurt me. You promised me that I would be safe. I have not felt safe for the last year of our marriage. I took a chance on you. I loved you and you broke me. You turned me into a victim. One of your victims from your sick, twisted fantasies!" Buffy said as tears rolled down her eyes.

"Buffy, please. I am very sorry about what I did to you during our marriage. What I did was wrong, but I did those things because I love you, Buffy." Angelus said.

"Love? That is how you show a woman that you love them? Is that how you treated Darla? Is that how you treated Drusilla?" Buffy asked, crossing her arms.

"Here you go again with this bullshit. Why do you always have to compare yourself to those bitches, Buffy? They are whores. Whores that I used to satisfy my needs when you were not available. No, it was not right, but it was also not fair for you to throw my brother in my face every chance you got either." Angelus said.

"When did I ever throw Angel in your face? I gave us a chance. I gave you a chance. I wanted our marriage to work but you could not be faithful. You left me home alone for most of our marriage and your brother was a friend who listened to me vent. That is all. I never stepped out of our marriage, you did. Why are we talking about this? Just sign the damn papers, Angelus. Sign the papers and we can go our separate ways." Buffy stated, getting fed up with his excuses.

"A deal is a deal. I will sign the papers, Buffy. Just promise me one thing." Angelus said.

"VISITING HOURS ARE OVER! LET'S GO PRISONERS!" a guard yelled.

"What?" Buffy asked.

"Promise me that you will be happy. Promise me that you will have a good life. Buffy, I really am sorry for what I did to you." Angelus said remorsefully.

"O'CONNOR, LET'S GO!" the guard yelled. Angelus walked out the visiting room with a glance back at his wife. He vowed to himself that when he got out, he was going to get her back. He was going to win her trust and get her back. Later on that week, Angelus was in the visiting room again with his lawyer signing the divorce papers. He would adhere to what she wanted now, but when he was released he was getting his wife back. After getting back into his dorm room, Angelus laid down on the bed as he reminisced about the day he married Buffy. That day was the happiest day of his life.

_***2 Years Ago***_

_The day had finally come for Angelus to marry the love of his life. They were in the most beautiful Catholic church in the heart of Los Angeles when the doors of the catholic church opened and one by one Buffy's bridesmaids walked down the aisle. Willow, Cordelia, Faith, Kendra, Fred, and Anya were all dressed in a black and blue ombre spaghetti strapped dress with a silver sequin belt around the waist line. Walking down the aisle behind the women was Alexis and Alex Jr., Anya and Xander's children, and Allison, Fred and Wesley's daughter, spreading beautiful blue flowers. Last but not least, the doors to the church opened behind the children and the most beautiful sight was standing there with her father. Angelus couldn't stop the smile from his face when he saw Buffy, who was dressed in an elegant strapless white dress covered in lace with a white veil covering her face, walking down the aisle with her father, Hank Summers. Buffy had the biggest smile on her face and she felt as if it took forever until she reached the altar. Everyone took their seats and then faced towards the priest._

"_Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the relationship of Elizabeth and Angelus and to be witnesses and supporters of the commitment they share with one another. Together, we are a group of the most important people in their lives and they have brought us here to publicly recognize that we have all played some special part in the love they share today. Elizabeth and Angelus wanted me to thank you all for being here and to recognize how important each and everyone of you are to their relationship. Speaking of important people, there was none more important in influencing the lives of Elizabeth and Angelus than their parents. With that being said, who gives Elizabeth away in marriage to this man?" the priest said._

"_Her mother and I do." Buffy's father, Hank said, before joining his daughter's hand with Angelus' warm one and they turned to face the priest once again. The priest waited until Hank was sitting down before continuing the service. Buffy passed her flowers over to Willow, her maid of honor, before turning to face Angelus with a smile on her face._

"_Marriage gives permanence and structure to a couple's love. It's a way to tell one another that no matter how much you snore or how much you spent while out at the shopping mall, we're still in this together. Marriage is telling the person you love that you are not going anywhere and that's a powerful commitment for two people to make to one another. A good marriage must be built on the foundation of this commitment. It is never going to sleep angry. It is standing together and facing the world. It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner. The road that has brought Elizabeth and Angelus here today has not been an easy one. It has been filled with challenges they were not necessarily prepared for. Together, they have taken each one on and have used those experiences to strengthen, not weaken their love. Elizabeth and Angelus wrote their own vows. Elizabeth?" the priest said._

"_Angelus, I admire you. Simply because of your kind soul, tender heart, and positive mindset. I especially appreciate your endearing sense of humor. I am ever so grateful for your love and selflessness. In return, I offer these promises. I promise you my everlasting devotion, my loyalty and my respect. I promise to love you unconditionally and to grow with you in mind, body, and spirit. I promise to pray with you, to dream with you, to build a family with you and to encourage you. I promise to share in your joys and sorrows and all that God has to offer us. You are my forever, my best friend, my dream come true and now my husband. With these words, and all the words of my heart, I marry you and bind my life to yours. Forever and always. I love you, Angelus." Buffy said teary-eyed._

"_Buffy, you have been my best friend, mentor, confidant, and my greatest challenge. But most importantly, you are the love of my life and you make me happier than I could ever imagine and more loved than I ever thought possible. You have made me a better person, as our love for one another is reflected in the way I live my life. I am truly blessed to be a part of your life, which as of today becomes our life together." Angelus said._

"_Elizabeth and Angelus will now exchange rings to symbolize their love and commitment to one another. Angelus, please repeat these words. I give you this ring, as a symbol of our love, for today and tomorrow, and for all the days to come. Wear it as a sign of what we have promised on this day and know that my love is present, even when I am not." The priest said._

"_I give you this ring, as a symbol of our love, for today and tomorrow, and for all the days to come. Wear it as a sign of what we have promised on this day and know that my love is present, even when I am not." Angelus repeated as he put the two-carat diamond ring on Buffy's hand._

"_Elizabeth, repeat after me. I give you this ring, as a symbol of our love, for today and tomorrow, and for all the days to come. Wear it as a sign of what we have promised on this day and know that my love is present, even when I am not." The priest said._

"_I give you this ring, as a symbol of our love, for today and tomorrow, and for all the days to come. Wear it as a sign of what we have promised on this day and know that my love is present, even when I am not." Buffy repeated as she put the gold band on Angelus' hand._

"_Elizabeth, do you take Angelus to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love him, cherish him, comfort him, honor him, and keep him, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?" the priest asked._

"_I do." Buffy said with tears rolling down her face._

"_Angelus, do you take Elizabeth to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love her, cherish her, comfort her, honor her, and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?" the priest asked._

"_I do." Angelus replied._

"_It is my great honor and privilege to be the first to present to you Mr. and Mrs. Angelus O'Connor!" the priest said loudly as Angelus removed Buffy's veil from covering her face and kissed her so passionately that they could hear the guests laughing. They were married. Buffy was an O'Connor now. As she danced the night away with her husband, there was nothing that could take the laughter out of her voice or remove the smile off of her face._

Angelus looked at the picture of Buffy that was on his wall in his cell. He missed his wife. He missed his life. Even though he knew his job was not going anywhere, he was stuck in a cell for seven years. Meanwhile across town in a beautiful home in a town a few hours away, Buffy walked in the house with her hand on her belly.

"How did it go?" Angel asked sitting in the living room with his best friend, Spike.

"He agreed to sign the papers finally." Buffy said and she sat next to Angel.

"Great. Now you and Peaches can get married and wait for the little one to arrive." Spike said, taking a sip from his bottle.

"Did he suspect anything?" Angel asked.

"No, not a thing." Buffy said. "Today has just been a long day."

"Well, Angel, I will catch you guys later. I got a hot date to get ready for with my girl." Spike said.

"You mean to say that Faith finally said yes. Good for you. I hope you know what you are in for." Buffy said laughing. One of her best friends, Faith, was from a different breed. They were meant for each other. Bad girl attracts the bad guy. Buffy shook her head as Spike left out the door.

"Faith is going to kill him." Angel said laughing.

"Yeah. She is. So, what do you want for dinner?" Buffy asked.

"You cooking? If so, I think I will pass." Angel laughed.

"Oh you got jokes? Well, I guess I will be the only one eating from that new Thai restaurant then." Buffy said laughing.

"Aw, come on babe. I was just playing." Angel laughed. Buffy smirked as she grabbed the phone to order their food while Angel went to get another beer. Angelus wanted her to be happy. Buffy can really say now that she is very happy.


End file.
